- Do Paul and James agree or disagree on the relationship between faith and works?
According to Moo (2021), both Paul and James taught and practiced faith teachings as they understood transformation. However, on his part, Paul affirms that it is not work that justifies believers but rather faith. He considers faith a dynamic and strong force that ultimately unites a believer with Christ (Gupta, 2020). On the other hand, James emphasizes the relationship between faith and works as inseparable elements of Christian living. Further, James doesn’t condone the actionless kind of faith; as he states in James 2:14, such faith cannot save a believer. Therefore, a decision to follow Christ requires Christians not to keep their faith private but instead take part in social responsibility, showing good works.
- Why is this relationship so important to the Christian life?
Faith and work are crucial in a Christian life because they influence how Christians live (Marsden, 2024). Categorically, James is prompting us to be Doers of the word and not just Hearers because it is in our lifestyles that our faith is reflected. Salvation and eternal life are contingent on upright Christian living, as illustrated in the Epistle of James. In its effort to reconcile the Biblical composition of faith and works, the Arminian view maintains that alone, claiming to ascribe to Christianity and bearing no evidence of true faith in their earthly living, the believers may never have received salvation (Terian, 2022). Therefore, carefully reflecting on the scripture depicts God’s desire for his people to live Godly.
- What role do works play in a person’s salvation and/or spiritual growth?
As Christians, there is no salvation without good works emanating from sanctification. Genuine deeds reflect God’s workmanship, created in the likeness of Christ for his good works, which he prepared beforehand for us to walk in (Morrison, 2023). Thess 4:3 states that good work acknowledges that God has authority over us and the obedience we men have towards his commandments. Additionally, James 2 17-18 considers faith without work as dead because as faith bores good works, the latter is then evidence of faith. Genesis shows God working when he created the world; hence, when a man works, it’s not a punishment but a resemblance to him (Van Wolde, 2021). Therefore, when we work, God blesses us so that we can honor him.